Pastor Pietro

Pietro Evangelista… a conduit for budding African writers

By Enuma Chigbo

Pietro Evangelista… a conduit for budding African writers

By Enuma Chigbo

“Nigeria is paradise,” says Italian born Pietro Evangelista. My goodness, is he from a different planet? For crying out loud, this is a country that’s steeped in turmoil, turbulence and trauma. Why would any rational, normal, logical thinking human being remotely imagine that Nigeria is paradise, or anywhere in Africa for that matter? For decades, perhaps even centuries, Africa has been perceived as the melting pot of negativity. In Nigeria, seemingly endless negative reports are the order of the day, so much that many of her citizens have come to accept this as normal. One may ask, do people like Evangelista not listen to, or read the news? Is he totally oblivious to what is going on in Nigeria? Indeed the facts are there – glaring and gaping- from uncountable lives lost through HIV/AIDS, and other diseases that could well be avoided, from political and religious unrests not to mention ritual killings, to natural disasters, persistent fuel crises, endless blackouts, and irate youths as a result of the breakdown in the educational sector and family structure. Lives are also gradually sapped through hunger, depression, disillusion and despair.

However, when God speaks, it doesn’t matter what the contradictions are. Evangelista says the Lord spoke to him about visiting Nigeria in the latter part of 2009. “I had no idea how to start but the Lord opened doors in a different way by connecting me with people I hardly knew. I spoke to a man called Pastor Ose, and was pleasantly surprised by the openness of his heart.” One month later, more confirmations came through an unexpected phone call from a very special woman, Reverend Obii Pax-Harry. She prophesied about his coming to Nigeria, “It’s time to release the voice of Africa,” Harry said. That was the deciding moment for Evangelista, as this woman was not privy to his initial plans.

“Nigeria is paradise,” Italian born Evangelista reiterates, in a clear soft voice, with a deep passion and humility, deep enough to pierce through the largest obstacles and melt the hardest of hearts. Of all people, he would understand best what it means to soar in the midst of oppositions and contradictions. “I was abandoned on the streets of Italy in 1959,” he says. Evangelista was picked up from the streets  two days after he was born and taken in by the Roman Catholic Church, who christened him Pietro, an Italian version of the name “Peter,” and gave him the surname Vernotico, meaning “Saint.” “In Italy if you are not adopted, you either become a priest, a monk or a thief,” he laughs. Knowing that he had a great destiny ahead of him, God prepared foster parents who adopted him, and gave him the surname Evangelista.

Little wonder that he heads Destiny Image Europe, a publishing outfit that has published several authours abroad and some in Africa,  which include Dreams and Visions by Joe Ibojie, and the award winning Isaachar Mandate by Reverend Obii Pax- Harry, which has since been translated into South Korean and now Indonesian.  “It’s time for Africa’s voice to be heard all over the world,” says Evangelista, who just concluded a tour of Nigeria’s three capitals, Calabar, the first, Lagos the second and Abuja, the present capital to impart his divine mandate from the Almighty God, and equip budding authours with basic guidelines and the necessary tools that would facilitate the production and publication of their manuscripts. 

The title of the book and the publisher’s logo Evangelista says is of upmost importance, as these are the first things that would catch any reader’s attention on the bookshelves. The title and publisher’s logo are usually located on the spine of the book. The spine is the straight edge that binds the book together, and this is what is usually visible on the shelves. A title is a short sentence that expresses what the book is all about. If the title of a book is attractive enough, and more significantly, if that book is published by a well known publisher, then the reader is motivated to pull the book out of the shelf, take a better look at the front cover and read contents of the back page. The content of the back page should be strong enough to make the reader want to open the book. Good clear photographs of the authour, and a good opening paragraph in the first chapter, would also encourage or motivate a reader to take a book home. Table of contents are also of the essence. The table of contents is where the chapters of the book are listed, and this also gives a general overview of the book. According to Evangelista, it is important for one not have too many chapters in a book. Fifteen chapters would be the cutoff mark he says. He went on further to say that the overall tone of one’s message in a book should not be legalistic; a book should be profound but not academic, and one should as much as possible avoid dos and don’ts. “Religion has never helped people. It’s important to hear the prophetic voice of the Lord. Many know the word of God but not the God of the word.”

At Destiny Image Europe, it does not matter how badly written your manuscript is he says, “We have skilled, spirit filled people who can edit your manuscript and bring up it to an acceptable standard.  What matters is the content – if there is a strong message from the Lord that would impact on people.” “People may have strong messages but may not necessarily write well. “People are looking for the Lord,” he says. “Some know Him, some may not, some may not even believe in Him, but they are looking for Him.” It is important that the authour catches and conveys the prophetic voice of the Lord. But being spirit filled is not enough. There has to be extensive research and documentation to substantiate one’s hearing or convictions, for effective delivery.”

“We have had to turn down manuscripts from people who quote the bible as their only resource material. The reason why we do so is that God speaks to people in different ways, but in ways that are unique. It’s important that one reads and learns from the experiences and teachings of others.”

Most publishers only publish known authours and charge a publisher’s fee but not Destiny Image Europe, says Evangelista. “At Destiny Image Europe, we will not ask for a publisher’s fee, neither will we ask for production costs, nor cover design layout costs.” “However, the authour will have to purchase a number of books at a good discount -about 50% -75% for his local distribution, which can be recouped thereafter. First time authours are advised to start off with about 3,000 copies. Books are usually sold on the shelves for about 10 Euros, and the authour is expected to buy a third of that – 1,000 copies.” “The reason why we involve authours in this exercise is twofold. First, we incur huge costs in producing and launching a first time authour, and second, authours need to know the value and cost of what they do. The authour needs to be involved and encouraged to sell his books in his sphere of influence.

With Destiny Image Europe, the relationship between the authour and publisher is critical, says Evangelista. “Publishers guarantee visibility, not necessarily sales, but then again sales are an end product of visibility.” It takes about four to six months from the time an author signs a contract with Destiny Image Europe and gives his or her final manuscript to produce the final product. On line distributions are done immediately. Books are posted on amazon.com, destinyimage.com and other related sites worldwide. Destiny Image Europe distributes to about 14,000 bookstores all over the world.” 

“I believe that this makes the whole art of writing and publishing easier,” says Pastor Mike Ahua, resident pastor of the Church at Hephzibah, Calabar. Ahua, who hopes to publish his book in the near future, believes Evangelista’s visit is a new dawn for African writers. “For a long time we have read good and interesting books. The settings are always in the UK, US etc. Though interesting, it would be more significant to us if we could project God’s messages in a more African setting from which the whole world could benefit.”

“I feel privileged to have met Pastor Pietro,” says Pastor Simisola Ogunyinka of the Hermon Church Calabar. Ogunyinka who has also authoured 10 books, laments the pains of self publishing, and feels that now is time to take her works of literature to the next level. “I’ve had to be authour, publisher, distributor and many other components rolled into one and it’s been tough. Thank God Pastor Pietro thinks I should not stop writing. That’s a good word for me.”

“My trip to Nigeria has been perfect,” Evangelists confirms. This is his third trip to Nigeria. Though he was told back home that it was not a good time to visit the country (save his wife who encouraged him) he says that this trip has been one of the most fulfilling experiences ever. “I have met about 100 potential authours here. There is a hunger for good literature and a huge interest in publishing. It’s amazing how many people want to publish their books. I have good expectations.  “God is speaking all over the world. While we love American authours at Destiny Image Europe, we believe it’s time to explore other options. The American market is saturated, what with about 30,000 books published every month.  The aim of coming to Nigeria is because there is no known publishing house in Nigeria. Apart from this, most publishers only publish known authours.  Why have revolving messages from the same two, three, four even 10 authours when God is speaking to so much more?”

Evangelista is a clear living example of how God takes the ordinary man and loads him with extraordinary gifts – tools to impart on nations and generations. Each time he speaks, highlights every single flaw he has, just as he readily avails himself to service- like a sacrificial lamb- able, ready and willing. “Laugh at me, smile at me, show me your teeth, I am part of you,” he repeatedly says to his audience, in unbelievable, unpolluted modesty, with endless apologies for his “Italian English.”

Though adopted in Pentecostal environs as a two day old baby, he gave his life to Jesus Christ at the age of 17, and has walked down his divine path of destiny ever since. Meeting his wife Sandra  to whom he’s been married for 23 years is a clear confirmation of this. “I started church in my house, and we would all converge in my basement for meetings. Sandra’s father came visiting for the very first time. Prior to his visit, he had seen my house in a dream, and was pleasantly surprised when he got there to see the exact same house in reality. I met his daughter Sandra later, and we fell in love after a couple of months. One and a half years later we got married. His marriage to Sandra, his first love has produced two wonderful sons, 23 year old Joshua, a journalist, and 21 year old Valerio, who hopes to be a judge someday. “In Italy, journalists and lawyers do not get along,” he laughs. Sandra is much more than just a wife. She is my best friend. I love her and she loves me. I do not know why, but she loves me. Indeed, I have a very strange life.”

Perhaps it is this strange life of his that has enabled him not just survive against all odds, but has strategically placed him in a position where he would connect with hordes of people – people with similar destinies that would otherwise have been truncated, but have been divinely repositioned to influence this present generation, and many generations to come. Destiny Image Europe is a result of Destiny Europe America, which was founded in 1985, by Donald Morai Senior. Destiny Image US was born out of a divine visitation to Morai Senior while he journeyed in his car. The Lord showed him pictures in a vision and asked him one vital question. “Where is the man who will publish my prophets?” He was then instructed to publish that encounter in the church. Subsequently, renowned preachers, Bishop TD Jakes and Miles Munroe were the first authors to be published by Morai Senior. Much later, Destiny Image US began to look for unknown authours to publish. It was that quest that brought Morai Senior to Europe and brought him in contact with Pietro Evangelista in 1998.

“Morai Senior asked me if I would start Destiny Image in Italy. I was excited because prior to that, I had prayed to the Lord to win thousands of souls for him, but God gave me more than I asked for through that divine encounter with Morai Senior. I subsequently had a vision where I would be used to win millions of souls through book publishing. In 2000, Destiny Image Europe was conceived.”  Evangelista also announced that Destiny Image Africa is in a spiritual incubation womb, which will soon be actualized here in Africa.

“Writing is a vital part of any ministry.” His delivery of this divine mandate is subtle, clear, and engaging, yet strong enough to bring down the highest of thrones. “The spirit of the Lord is a creative spirit. The Holy Spirit abides in us and the creative spirit of the Holy Spirit is what abides in man, publishing and book writing are part of that creativity.” 

Evangelista says he has no doubt that his trip to Nigeria was ordained by God. Though he gets invitations from all over the world, the Lord clearly told him that this is Africa’s time, with Nigeria and Kenya as a starting point. “I am also thinking about visiting Uganda and South Africa,” he says.

“This is so timely,” says Helen Lugada, a Ugandan based in Abuja. “For the past few months we have looked for an avenue for our resident pastor to publish his works. I must say that this is a triumphant period for us.”

“God is speaking to people all over the world,” says Evangelista. “He loves speaking to people, and is looking for a people who will catch His voice. He is speaking to nations and is speaking to Africa. I am merely an amplifier of God who wants to give a voice to people here in Africa who otherwise would not have had a voice. There is only one condition though. Whatever message you convey has to be from God.”

 
Posted by: Enuma Chigbo on 02 February 2010

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